SNGF -- What Automobiles Did Your Ancestors Own?

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1)  What automobile models did your ancestors have?  Pick an ancestor and share something about their cars.

Thank you to Lisa Gorrell for this week's SNGF challenge topic.

Here's mine:
I created a book about our parents, Bill & Lea Hork, and gave it to all my siblings and their children. This is an excerpt from the book about the cars they owned.

We were not well off and rarely had a new car. I remember some of the cars Bill and Lea owned but I do not have photos of all of them. I located photos online for illustration.

Chevy
When our parents were married in 1952, Bill was driving a 1948 Chevy. Here is a shot of them leaving on their honeymoon.

Leaving on the honeymoon in the 1948 Chevy

Chevy Wagon

Sometime before 1963 or 64, they had another Chevy but there is no photo of that car. It might have been like this photo of a ’57 station wagon. The kids loved sitting or lying in the back portion and looking out the back window.

It is possible that Lea learned to drive in this car. Lisa remembers her driving to Mam-ma’s house on the highway between Pittsburg and Concord with Bill advising her.

1957 Chevy Wagon from the web

Rambler Wagon

Sometime after moving to Walnut Creek, they bought a Rambler Ambassador station wagon. This might have been their first new car, but it is also possible that it was a year or two old. In those days, many people bought new cars yearly, trading in the older car.

Here is the shot of the car on the driveway one Christmas morning. Steve, Danna, and Jonathan are trying out new Christmas presents.

This car served the family a long time, but it is uncertain when the car was traded or sold away. It was large enough for six children with one sitting in front with the adults and a couple sat in the way back cargo area. There were no seat belts and car seats were just little seats that hung over the back of the seat. They were mostly used to corral the child, not for any protection.

Volkswagen

Sometime in the early 1970s we got Nana’s 1957 Volkswagen Beetle when her children took the keys from her after she drove up an offramp to the freeway. The children had loved riding with Nana in the car and would yell dibs to sit in the way back cubby. There is no photo in our collection and it looked like the car to the right.

Image from the web

Bill drove the car to work so Lea could drive the Rambler. The timing is unsure about when this car was sold. Perhaps Steve sold the car for Bill and got the proceeds. It wasn’t used after getting one of the next cars (Ford or Pontiac).

Ford Wagon

At one point when Bill was working at LoRay grocery store as a produce buyer, he received a company car. They each got to pick out the color and Dad chose a gold color because it matched better with the “wood” sides of the Ford Country Squire.

The family was allowed to use the car on weekends and the trips to visit Nana and the cousins were in that car. It had rear seats that accommodated all six children safely.

It's in the carport to the right of the house

Pontiac

Finally, Lea got a car of her own. They purchased a used 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. She loved that car. Lisa remembers using the car to take her driver’s test. The Grand Prix’s turning radius was so good that when she was told to do a 3-point turn, she made a U-turn and the examiner made her pull over and try again! Likely other children used this car to take the driver’s test.

For some reason, there are no photos of this car either, though the back of the car in the carport can be seen in the photo on the previous page.

from the web

Corvette

Sometime in the 80s, Bill got a Chevrolet Corvette. He tended to drive in the fast lane and ended up being pulled over a few times, as the bright orange car attracted the CHP’s attention more.

my sisters getting ready to play tennis

This car found its way into more photos. Above Sabrina and Renee are getting ready to play tennis. He got over the sports car and sold it. 

Mercedes Benz

The date of the acquisition of the next two cars is fuzzy. He got a Mercedes Benz 280SL from his sister, Lorene, probably when she could not drive anymore. It was tobacco brown, and like the car to the right.

from the web

Cadillac

He also purchased a Cadillac Seville. Lisa was tasked with selling these cars after Bill’s death. The Seville was easy to sell. The Mercedes was sold to a collector for $28,000. 

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